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Thursday, November 15, 2007

People ask me how I come up with ideas for my blog. "How do you think of something new to write every day?"

I'll let you in on a secret. When my kids do something crazy or an idea suddenly comes to me, I usually stop at some point during my day and jot down a few key words so I remember it. Today, I had a great idea for a blog post. I didn't stop and write it down. Do you think I can remember for a second what I was going to write tonight? The idea completely flew out of my brain.

Was it about going to the doctor's office? No.About my book? Nope.Maybe it was about something Clay did? Maybe. I can't really remember anything specific though.Was I going to write about how my son was practicing his saxophone while my middle son was asking me the same question he'd asked me fifty times this afternoon while my daughter was blaring her music in her room, while I was trying to pay bills, while the phone was ringing, while my husband was working, and while the youngest three were running through the house like lunatics in a game of hide and seek (or notsomuch hide and seek as hide and then scream at the top of your lungs "COME AND FIND ME! I'M IN THE BATHROOM!") No, I don't think that was it.Perhaps I was going to write about how my baby wore her coat in the house all day long....BINGO! I remembered! (Seriously, it just came to me while writing this! I love it when my brain turns back on like that!) I was going to write that today was officially Winter Coat Day, the first day of the season that you have to drag out the winter coats. When I drove the kids to school this morning, it was 34 degrees outside. That meant, scrambling to find the winter coats and even more searching to find hats and gloves.

"Mooom, these gloves don't match.""Sure they do.""One is Spiderman and one is Cinderella!""Do you have a left and a right glove?""Yes, but....""Then you've got a matching pair. You're going to lose one before recess anyway, so don't worry about it."

What makes Winter Coat Day extra fun is the fact that you now have to readjust all the car seats because the straps no longer fit your child and their puffy coat. I suspect this is something you southerners never fully experience. School starts at 9:10 here. That means I usually get my kids to school at 9:11. Because I had to adjust three car seats this morning, I got them to school at 2:30 today. Ok, I'm exaggerating. Actually, car seats are much easier to adjust today than they were just a few short years ago. You no longer have to take them out of your car in order to loosen the straps or move them up a notch. And now, as long as you have a relatively new car (I don't) you can simply latch them in. What a great invention that is! I still have to do it the old fashioned way. You know, you kneel on the seat while you nearly amputate your arm on the sharp edges of the plastic as you try to thread the seatbelt through the little hole at the back of the seat. Then you bounce up and down on the seat a little as you use Herculean strength to make the buckle snap into the receptor. And if your seats recline to much, you have to wad up towels or use pool noodles so the car seat sits nice and level. Fun times, fun times.

Thirteen years ago, when I had my first baby, car seats were super easy to use. You just pulled the bar (much like on a roller coaster) over your child's head and buckled it in. Ta da! I absolutely cannot imagine how my parents did it without car seats at all. How do you concentrate on driving when your kids are bouncing around all over the car? Hmmm, I'll have to ask them this some day.

Anyway, Winter Coat Day only pertains to the little kids who need car seat adjustments to accommodate their poofy coats. The older kids don't celebrate Winter Coat Day because they're impervious to cold. Seriously, watch the kids walking home from junior high some day. These kids amaze me. It's 30 degrees outside and here they come walking home wearing shorts. Oh, there's one wearing a hat! And shorts. Here's a guy with a sweatshirt at least. Oops, too late. He's taking it off and tying it around his waist. Shorts, shorts, jeans and a T-shirt, jeans, shorts, a windbreaker, jeans and flip flops. One out of every seventy kids has on an actual winter coat. Why is this? Is it uncool to be comfortable? To be cool, do you have to literally be COOL? I'll never understand teenagers. Nor will I understand why I continue to live in Chicago when it gets so darn cold here. I didn't use to hate winter, but I think the years of bundling up kids, strapping them in car seats only to hear them say, "I have to go to the bathroom," the minute you start your car, has seriously impacted my idea of winter. I think I could get used to Christmas lights strung on a palm tree.

Oh and to all of you who pointed out that Tupperware has a lifetime guarantee, thank you. I actually sold Tupperware for several years. I was pretty good at it too! I earned a cruise to the Bahamas and drove a company car, in fact. So I know that Tupperware does indeed have a lifetime guarantee. However, I also know me. The last time a plate cracked, I set it on my kitchen counter, intending on finding my nearest TW consultant so it could be replaced. That plate sat there for six and a half months before I admitted that I was never going to get around to finding someone to replace it, and so I tossed it. This time I just cut to the chase. I know - sad.

Lastly, thank you all so much for your wonderful congratulations and well wishes!!! :)

115 comments:

How is it that there are 0 comments so far? I hoped for about a billionth of a second that I might be the first commenter...but oh no, I know there are a kazillion people waiting in the wings to post their comments a split second before I do. =D

ANYWAY!!!!!

Thing to do is...move down south. =D We used to live in Michigan, but a year ago moved to Tennessee. Ooooohhhh my gosh! I dance around with joy in the winter when the schools shut down because there's a light layer of snow on the ground that the grass is poking through. =)

I love it when I go outside and think "Brrrrr, it's getting a bit chilly these days" and it's only 55f. Hahahahahaha!!! =D I just looooooove Tennessee. =)

teenagers and shorts .... oops .. male teenagers and shorts, tis what they do. Mine (almost 14) prided himself on his friend last year who would where short every day at school ... this year is it my kid. At least he has the sweatshirt on and a hat .... these kids are nuts, but we love them anyway.

I'm sure I won't be the only one to send you this little tid bit of into, but actually you should NOT put your child into their car seat wearing their poofy winter coat. We were told this at car seat safety training. The seat is designed to work best when there is not any extra stuff in the way between your child and the straps. I know, huge hassel to put the coats on once you get to your destination, but it would be safer.

Hey Dawn, have been reading your blog for a while now, am a stay at home mum with 2 under 3, currently doing a second degree. Just wanted to say congrats on the publisher deal, but also on being able to admit that while it would be good to do some things (like get tupperware replaced) that you're never going to and should just move on!!! I too have finally found this place for myself!!!

actually, you aren't supposed to use pool noodles or towels with forward facing seats.

they just take on the recline of the vehicle seat.

Also... puffy coats in carseats is a BIG no-no.

they can compress in a crash.

A child is not supposed to wear ANYTHING bulky that requires the straps be looser than without the item.

For help with carseats, you can email me : kat_k1@mail2sagittarius.com or come to the babycenter.com car safety tips bulletin boardsor just check out www.carseatsite.com for tips and ways to keep kids warm without sacrificing safety and also how to properly install and use your seats.

LOL, Dawn...you rock! I loved your retort to your kids about the gloves. And leveling the carseats with pool noodles. And getting used to stringing lights on palm trees. Your posts always crack me up!

Readjusting straps is a pain, but there is nothing I hate worse than switching my toddlers car seat between cars (which we've done a fair amount of lately as we've had two cars die on us). I can never get the seatbelt as tight as my husband does with his brute strength, and have actually arrived places with my toddler tilted almost sideways on the seat, sucking on his binky but obviously wondering what was going on, lol. Fun times, fun times indeed.

Ahhh!! I thought I remembered you saying you sold Tupperware...did you have a "Tupperware" car or am I thinking of some-one else?

While you are getting winter coats out we have having a heatwave....well 10 days of over 30°C anyway it isn't an "official" heatwave as we aren't having 5 consecutive days over 35°C never mind that only TWO of those days are under 35°C (scattered so we don't get the consecutive days) but no not a heatwave...try telling that to my body..and it's still Spring !

But...It is not advisable to wear winter coats in car seats. (see various car seat safety sites). In a crash, everything compresses and the coats create too much wiggle room and kids will just fly out of the seats. Can put blanket over them after strapped in or coats on backwards after strapped in. So, now you can get the kids to school by dinnertime.

Congratulations on your book deal! That's wonderful news and I know you're so excited. I can't wait to read it. God bless you..I'm so glad you're with a Christian publisher..I love Guideposts! Take care and thanks for the laughs!

Okay, this will probably make you feel even worse about your Winter Coat Day, but here I go: I live in Southern California and our high today was 90 degrees!

I was at a birthday party this morning with my kids (we homeschool) and the moms were dying of heatstroke, saying to each other "Is it REALLY November? No, can't be! My calender's wrong!" Of course, the birthday boy's ACTUAL birthday was in August... Hhmmm, maybe there was some disturbance in the time continuum.

Anyway, next week we should be seeing normal California fall weather, with highs in the 60's and 70's.

I just thought I'd stop and say thanks for making me feel normal. I've been lurking here for a few months but haven't commented before. It's 1am here, no time like the present. I am a mom to 5 (my oldest is 7 so it's a little crazy here) and step-mom to 3 more (ages 11 to 15). I appreciate knowing that I am not the only one out there that finds petrified food around their house. I too have experienced the hot dog. Also carrots make a lovely deheydrated artifact.

I also remember being a teen (vaguely) who wore shorts in January in Utah. Had a funny experience just outside of Las Vegas where I live now with teenage temperature too. Went to pick my youngest sister up from high school in June (we were already in triple digit temps by then) and lo and behold they were all wearing hoodies. Big, thick sweatshirts in 103 degrees. Duh. You've inspired me to start a blog too. Got to go write about my experience with my 4yo today. Her 2yo sister broke this funny camoflouge necklage she got trick-or-treating. She was completely upset because this necklace was "priceless". Don't know where she got that word, but her use of it today was just that...

How did I keep my kids from bouncing all over the car? It was called "discipline". Back in the old days, we used the word "no", and kids actually knew what it meant. Before they were two years old, even.

For the sake of us "Southerners" I'd just like to point out that we, too, get to have fun with the carseats. However, we get to change it back and forth when one day it's 35 and the next it's 92 and we're wearing shorts. Now that's Texas. It's always somethin' isn't it?

Congrats on the publishing deal! That is great.I am in Florida, so we don't have to pull out the winter coats yet. (Although they do get taken out of the closet for about a 2 week period in February. Try shopping for a coat that you are spending hard earned money on that you know your child will wear approx. 12 times!!)My children were, however, complaining about cold ankles in the morning because I hadn't gone shopping for new pants yet. I just blogged about that on my page last night. I grew up in Ohio and although I don't miss the freezing cold weather, I still haven't gotten used to hearing things like "Oh the weather outside is frightful...yada yada....Let it snow, Let is snow, Let it snow!" and then walking outside and breaking a sweat to get my mail.

Dawn,I think we might have been separated at birth! I, also, did the car seat adjustment this week. My car seats have actually expired, who knew there was an expiration date on car seats! They are so sticky from fruit snacks, pb&j and chocolate milk spills that it takes Hulk-like strength the pull the strap that gives more room. I dread it every year. Thanks for writing! I love reading.Jennifer, Mom of 5

i know without a doubt i am far from the first to reply but, i did want you to know that way down here in Georgia it is a lovely 29 degrees this morning and the high today is expected to be 50 something... my 15 soon to be 16 year old went to school in her capri pants with jammie pants over them, white flip flops and her baby phat down jacket, somehow i wish i had taken a picture of her attire... anyway point is teens are NUTs everywhere LOL!~have a great day!Laura ~peach~

"Character-building." At least that's what I told myself I was doing scraping snow and ice off my car for the fourth time in one day every other week in the winter when I lived in Chicago. That and swearing under my breath. And swearing I was moving to Florida for the next winter. Here's to a mild winter for you!

I;m glad I'm not the only one who thinks teenagers are insane nowadays. This morning, it was 28 degrees outside when it was time to take my 13 year old son to school. He had on a sweatshirt, but that was his "coat". Does he have a winter coat? Yes. As a matter of fact, 3 of them. A friend of ours even gave him a camoflauge coat (he's an aspiring hunter), and I had to practically BEG him to wear it. His response was, "it's going to be too warm outside...it's supposed to get up to 47 today." Um...warm and 47 degrees don't work well in the same sentence, IMO. Unless you're talking Celcius, which we are not. Oh well. Add in my other 4 kids (including 2 in carseats), and I'm almost in the same boat as you (minus the awesome blog & book deal). Seriously, since I started reading your blog in August, I have been so thrilled for you. How God has blessed your family!

Dawn-You are too funny. I live in Virginia and we are just getting some mornings like yours. You would think that someone over the years would have made a car seat that was easir to adjust and install in older cars. Thank you for saying everything that the rest of us are thinking!!!Nicole

I don't know why I keep living in the north east. Every winter I complain about it and every year, I'm too stupid to move away. That palm tree with Christmas lights on it is sounding pretty good right now. Good luck through winter. I hope you make it!

You are a woman after my own heart. I always intend to take care of things like Tupperware, warranties, brown bananas that beg to be cooked into wonderful bread, and the two crochet projects sitting in my closet. But no. The crafts will sit in my closet until the kids move out. Brown bananas wait until fruit flies invade my house like one of the twelve plagues. And all of those "extra" things that regular people think so necessary, like the Tupperware guarantee will slide by unnoticed among the chaos.

OMG, I can relate to EVERY single thing you said today. The gloves, the car seat adjustments (I've only have one good arm left and having "returnables" on my counter for months. Oh, and btw, the short sleeves in winter starts earlier than teens...my 11 yr old has been insisting he's "really hot, honest" for the past 2 yrs and avoiding his coat that he claims makes him look to "puffy".

Dawn it seems like you read my mind - that is what I love about your blog!

I am not too far from you (Milwaukee) and we are experiencing "winter coat" days as well. I can't believe that last year I thought all the gloves, scarves and coats would magically still be where I left them and be in pairs - HA!

I also have complete "brain freeze" when blogging which is why I have officially BECOME my mother and have a notebook with "ideas" and things to remind other family members about. :)

Lastly - the returning thing - that is my downfall. I have an entire basket of things that "needs to be returned" but of course when I get around to it the receipt has expired and then I insist on keeping the item that I paid $25.00 for that is now worth $7.50.

Your school starts at 9:10! I would kill for that. Our elementary school starts at 7:50. By 9:10 the kids are getting ready for lunch! And as the parent of a 13 yr. old boy I totally agree on the lack of coats and other proper attire on teenagers. I don't even bother to buy my son a coat. 1. He won't wear it. 2. He would lose it if he did. And belated Congrats on the book deal. Very exciting and well deserved.

You said "One out of every seventy kids has on an actual winter coat. Why is this? Is it uncool to be comfortable? To be cool, do you have to literally be COOL?" which had me laughing. My friend and I were just having this discussion a few days ago. When I was younger it was so NOT cool to wear a coat and then actually zip it up and be warm. It's funny how when you get older it doesn't matter what you're wearing or how it looks-as long as your warm!

I have been enjoying your blog. I have 3 kids and 2 in carseats so i feel your pain! I live in Texas but i am from Canada so i did the carseat snowsuit fight! I always thought living without snow would not bother me but when i lived in Tucson the x-mas lights on the cactus really bothered me! lol It was just WRONG!!! Keep it up girl!

OK so I didn't read far enough yes you did have a "Tupperware car" lol don't know how I missed that last paragraph but I remember you mentioning it before ...what is it they say about dementia sufferers forgetting recent things and remembering things long ago? Does that include reading blogs??

Now I truly enjoyed that post. Your way with words are just funny. But oh so true. I would like to comment on the southern winters. Well take this week for an example, yesterday my 15 yr old son wore a T-shirt and shorts with grandpa style house shoes to school. By the end of the day he had to leave on his sweat pants from football practice. But today we are all bundled up with layered clothing on. Unfortuately this kind of changes in the weather is why we all stay sick during the winter. I would much rather hot for a while then cold for a while, not day to day. Next week the high could be in the 80's. But that is East Texas weather for you. I will say I love to see little ones so bundled up they have to move like a robot. It is too cute.

That is so funny! My husband and I moved to Utah from Southern California, where we had been living for the last 10 years, last year and one day he calls me on his way home from work and says, "It's Cold," I said "I KNOW!" then he said... "We need to go buy some coats!" We never really owned Winter Coats, so even as adults, we got to experience Winter Coat Day!

I'm with you on the winter coat thing. Today was our official day. Not only do they take up more space in the car seats, but the closets are jammed too. The kids find it hard enought to get their flip flops in there, but when you add bulky coats, hats, gloves, boots and scarves it just doesn't work. Winter spills all over the house like a blizzard.

Too funny! Today (in the south I might add) was our winter coat day too. Mom got her big ole puffy coat out and her dear 'cool' daughter wore the hoodie sweatshirt long enough to make it into the school. What's a little frost bite on their elbows and knees (don't forget if they DO wear pants they have holes ripped in the knees)LOL? Pick your battles.....that's all I have to say, pick your battles.

I used to sell TW too. Small world! I also am horrible about replacing my own TW when it breaks. Must be an ex-consultant thing. LOL

I remember winter coat season. I miss it now! It was one of the things I celebrated when we moved from CO to AZ. No more winter coats! Now, I am sick of the heat and would take a COLD SNOWY day anytime over 115 in the shade in August. Yesterday it rained all day. Hooray! It might drop below 85 this weekend. We shall see.

In my days the car seat hooked over the seat and its soul purpose was to let the child look out the window while he drove his own steering wheel. The other one I either laid on the back floor board or wedged on my lap nice and tight so he wouldn't wiggle away. Safety never entered into the picture. When they got older a stern sit worked wonders to keep them planted. I didn't even have seat belts in the car until they were in 4th grade. I am only 53 so it hasn't been that long ago either.

Thanks for brightening my day. I only have 3 kids (so far) but I hope to eventually be as laid back as you are so that I don't make myself crazy yelling at kids for being too loud and acting like kids.

BTW, some car seat nazis will tell you that kids are not supposed to wear puffy coats in car seats if they cause you to have to adjust the straps ;)

It's so awesome to see God at work, taking care of those who follow him and are so open to life. You have truly been given a gift.

I am so with you with the forgetting what the heck it is you intended to blog about, what the heck it was that made you laugh so loud in the day that you were REALLY glad you did those pelvic floor exercises. I also carry a notebook, but often find my best inspiration comes when I am driving, so I tried a dictaphone, but am too lazy to keep up the batteries and my kids thought I was mad mumbling to myself all the way to school. These days I have pretty much given up and tend to just allow the things to fall out my head!!

We had our first Winter Coat Day yesterday as well. It even snowed (nothing stuck). Fortunately we didn't have to be anywhere at a certain time, although in a few years when they're school age, it will be a different story. School starts at 8 am. The bus comes by our house at 6:20. No they will not be on the bus. They may not even be going to school. Still trying to figure out what to do on that score. You're also right about all the junior highs in shorts. One came into Burger King last night. Her elementary age brother was in cords and a sweatshirt. She was in shorts (short, short short shorts) and a thin t-shirt. And complained about being too hot. Must be the raging hormones.

I can't believe I am the first one to leave a message! I never leave one, but I want you to know I love reading your blog. I have a 4 year old (God has only sent one baby to me despite years of trying and LOTS of Clomid!) Anyway, here in Salt Lake City it is getting colder. I had to laugh at the puffy coat and the car seat adjustment... Your right... good times! As far as brain loss, I think my brain came out with my placenta! I can't imagine how you have such a good one with six kids. Congrats on all your success.

ROFL!!! That's some funny stuff, and all too true! A friend of mine has a sign on her fridge that says, "having children is like being pecked to death by chickens" and now that I have three, I know exactly what that means. Trying to remember anything without writing it down is asking for too much...

The dreaded winter coats!! Luckily I don't have to deal with that too much here in Houston, Texas. We were wearing shorts in 89 degree temperatures yesterday, but a cold front came through (maybe we should call it a cool front), the coldest night so far at 43 degrees with a high of 70 today. People here think this is cold (I grew up in VA, we had snow every year)

You might like the idea of Christmas lights on a palm tree, but I moved to Arizona after spending my first 30 years in cold, snowy Western NY, and let me tell you, 115 degrees is just wrong! The kids can't go out and play in the summer because it is too hot after the sun comes up.

In Ohio we adjust the car seats for winter coats, only to readjust them back a week later when it suddenly warms up 20 degrees overnight. Of course, the next week, the temp drops again and we're back out adjusting the seats for winter coats. I'm just always late anywhere I go during this time of year.

We live in Colorado Springs and it has already been COLD here a few times...... picture this: toddler in "puffy" coat waiting for Daddy to put him in his carseat. Daddy picks him up, puts him in carseat and then proceeds to buckle the 5 point harness thingy. "Laura, why is this seatbelt soooo tight?" says Daddy. "Ummmmm because he's got on that huge coat!!" (sarcasm intended). I ended up telling him that this was the first time he'd worn the coat, adjust the seat, etc........ It was quite funny.

I so hear you about the teens not wanting to wear coats, and I don't understand it, either. Why is it "uncool" to be warm?? I'll join you near the palm tree with the twinkle lights, Dawn! (We'll sing Coconuts Roasting on a Fire Pit and I'm Dreaming of a White Sand Beach) :)

I hate those stupid five-point harnesses that they insist are safer! They're not safer if they're too loose because you can't figure out how to readjust the stupid things in the spring (when the kids take off their coats). I just dragged an old 3-point one out of the attic that adjusts automatically, and I am so much happier.

What I hate about dragging out all the mittens and hats is that every single goldarned spring I go around and stick in each kid's dresser the mittens and hat that I think are going to fit him/her next winter. And when the first cold day comes? Nothing. Or just one mitten. Or a set of mismatched mittens. What happens to them? Why don't I just admit it is going to happen and give away everything at the end of the winter and then buy new at Target each fall? Why do I put myself through this?

I've typed this whole thing with my 5-year-old sitting on the bottom step (our "corner") and screaming and moaning. But my husband can't even talk on the phone unless we all go out. Please.

OMGoodness! Today was Winter Coat day here too! Although I had the added bonus of figuring out what box I packed DD#1 winter coat in for DD#2 to wear and DD#2 for DD#3... and then where did I put that coat I bought for a $1.50 when it was on sale last spring.... hmmm... and then the adjusting of three car seats!!! Ughh! Still a pain! At least we were just going out for lunch and didn't have to be anywhere specific. Although, had I known I was going to have to deal with the Winter Coats, I would have made them eat a Luncheable... again! LOL! But I applaud you, I didn't even mess with the hats and gloves... thinking of going to the dollar store and picking up brand new ones (that will be lost in a week!) Aleta

yes, offically winter coat days here as well. though mine is usually seasoned with whining that the coat is too tight or the seatbelt is still not right. This morning, "you FORGOT my gloves" I ruined his day. Forgive me preschool teachers, but my son is going to have an attitude all day because *I* didn't get his gloves. BYE, off to work. Enjoy. :)

Ya gotta love winter coat day. Thankfully it hasn't happened her yet. They say next week. My favorite is how I never look before the day they need them and then all the coats hit my kids about mid arm. Ain't winter Grand!!

Oh boy does this sound familiar! We live in Montreal, so we know winter.

We have a giant bucket of hats, mitts, gloves, scarves, and neckwarmers by the front door, yet somehow my two boys never have gloves on. This year, we bought them each a new pair, both of which never made it home on the first day! Thank goodness for the dollar store ;)

I live a block from our middle school. When my son was small and we used to drive past on the way to elementary school he would make fun of the "stupid kids" not wearing coats. Then he got to middle school and BECAME one of the stupid kids not wearing coats! So now, when my daughter and I drive past and she's making fun of the kids with no coats I tell her to be careful--in a few short years she'll be one of them!

You're right, us southerners (I'm from Arizona) can't relate to Winter Coat Day, but we do have the summer heat to contend with. We learn how to drive with our finger tips (steering wheel is too hot to hold on to), park where there is shade (even if it's two blocks from the store you're going to), come to accept that 115 is a tollerable temperature because it is a DRY HEAT, and are happy to see a 24hr Wal-Mart that way it has cooled off enough (maybe down to 102) for us to do our shopping at 11:30pm. Out here a winter coat is nothing but a lined windbreaker. Maybe those travelers we call "snow birds" have the right idea - Live in the north in the summer and in the south in the winter. I'll have to think about that one.

Good morning! :)I would just like to say that I have coats! I didn't care for them in middle school and high school because it was a pain in the booty to cram the thing into the miniscule locker. Carry it around all day, no way! Soooo, that's my take and theory on the coat thing. Nice, eh? Hoodies are awesome.

We only seem to use coats and carseats around here when it's really cold. Warm the car up and use floofy warm blankets to snuggle up with. I hate the coat-carseat fight! The blankets also double as a great toy in the stores (so far my boys are still easily amused by the "tent" idea! lol). Sooo yeah, I'll take the bad mommy award., but it works for us.

I live in Southern CA, so I don't have to deal with the poofy jackets in the car seat thing, but I do remember reading a while back that you should not sit your babies/kids in their seats with the jackets on because in a crash, the extra slack that you put in the straps will not hold them in properly. Here is an excerpt from http://carseat.org/Resources/FAQs.htm:

During cold weather, what is the best way to keep my child warm in his safety seat?Clothing worn by children can present compression and harness routing problems. Bulky jackets and snowsuits can compress in a crash and leave the harness slack on a child, allowing excessive movement or even ejection. It is best to have children travel without coats, to put coats on backwards, or to add a blanket over the child after the harness has been buckled. Jackets that are worn the regular way should be no heavier than lightweight fleece fabric or be unfastened to allow contact between the child and the harness or vehicle belt. An option for an infant in an infant seat is a shower cap-style seat cover. This style of cover fits over the top of the infant seat, has an elastic band around the edge, and has no fabric behind or under the child.

First, I love your blog. I only have two kids (that I personally gave birth to), but we've hosted several exchange students (we're on our 4th this year). I'll tell you, that's the way to go. They come to you fully house broken and are very bright kids who are generally interested in pleasing you. What a change! Here in my part of Idaho, the older kids leave their coats at home because they frequently have to share lockers with other kids and since they aren't allowed to carry their backpacks around the school, there's simply no room in their lockers for backpacks AND winter coats. I'm always riding my son about his lack of a coat and he give me the "Mo-o-o-o-o-o-o-om! I'm inside all day and there's no-o-o-o-o room in my locker!" answer. I think when it's in the teens out there, he'll rethink the locker space issue.

You forgot the part about accidentally putting the child's seat in a new place and the crying and screams that follow.... "But I don't want to sit next to her!! I sit by BROTHER!!! MOM! You put her seat in the wrong place!!" Oh the lovely singing voices of children.

I totally sympathize with the car seats/winter coat scenerio. My husband is in the military and we are stationed in NC right now. It is technically "the south" but the weather is indecisive.

I dug out the winter coats one morning a couple of weeks ago and adjusted the car seat straps for my two year old.

That afternoon, it was too hot for a coat. So I had to adjust the straps again.

Next day it was the same deal. I don't like the cold, but I wish the weather would make up its mind so I could stop messing with the car seat. It's hard enough to get him to sit still long enough to buckle him in, let alone having to refit him into it every time. :)

As soon as I read that you adjusted the car seat straps for the puffy coats I knew the safety warnings would be coming your way. And they did.

But my question for the safety experts is: if it is the compression of the puffy coats that is a danger for children in car seats aren't adults wearing puffy coats under their seat belts in similar danger?

Anyway, it doesn't matter. There is no way I will be able to convince Princess to take off her parka while standing in the mall parking lot when it is single digits or colder outside. It also seems a bit dangerous on days that extremely cold to leave her so exposed to the elements for the minute plus it takes to get her in her seat and buckled in. It's just not going to happen.

Hi! I was wondering how you manage the mountains of papers and pictures that the kids bring home from school. I'm flailing in the quicksand of school papers and I only have 2 kids. Do you have a system that you can share?

Ahhh... Teens without coats. I used to wonder why also, but now I know the answer. My eldest began middle school this year and they no longer provide the kids with lockers. So my nintey pound daughter carries at nearly 40 lb. backpact STUFFED with books, binders, etc... She can't even fit her lunch in there and has to carry that seperately. She desperately wanted to wear her coat the other day, but it seems that the one place that they do (and MUST) use lockers is in the gym locker room. The provide you with a small basket-style locker that you can force closed if you jump up and down on your backpak and lunch and have your friend latch it quickly (similar to packing a suitcase). Anyway - there is absolutely no hope of stuffing a coat in there, so most kids make due with a simple fleece. I'm pretty sure that Northface and REI are in cahoots with the public school system so they can continue to sell overpriced fleece jackets and industrial over-sized backpacks. I can only hope that adavances in medical technology will prevent my children from incurring hunchbacks and curved spines before they are adults as their knees buckle under the weight of their packs!

You're playing my song!!! I agree with everything you've said about babies in carseats and teenagers in shorts. My older kids know exactly who has succumbed to wearing pants, and aren't about to cave in. We live in MO, and it is pretty chilly some mornings. I actually spent a few hours in their school last week and was peeling my layers of clothes off...it felt like summer inside there.

How about getting the SLEEPING 1 year old wearing the puffy jacket out of the carseat and into the crib without waking him? Do I take the jacket off to prevent myself from changing the sweat soaked sheets, or do I cautiously pry that thing off him and PRAY that he doesn't wake up and call that 15 minute snooze a nap? I just (successfully) got him into bed, but left the shoes on...I figured his head never sleeps on that end of the bed, so a little road dirt won't hurt.

I haven't read you blog in a while so I'm catching up with one comment... Here in Indiana we had "Winter Coat Day" a few weeks ago and I agree about the carseat thing, but as bad as they are sometimes don't you just strap your kids in and drive because they can't get out and in some small way life is more peaceful? I know I do!

For the previous post regarding the Movie...you not at bad Mom. I live for "Movie time Monday"!

In response to this: It also seems a bit dangerous on days that extremely cold to leave her so exposed to the elements for the minute plus it takes to get her in her seat and buckled in. It's just not going to happen.

They make coats for kids that have a puffy outer and a fleece inner, so you can remove the puffy outer part when you are buckling and they stay warm. Then when you get where you are going the puffy part can be put back on. It may seem like a hassle to some, but car safety is too important to ignore.

Dawn,It was winter coat day here in upstate NY, too. We looked for a minute (that's all the time we had - literally) for gloves until we gave up. My kids are walkers. I said "just keep your hands in your pockets." I love your honesty, and the fact that you don't seem to buy into all the "must be the best mommy ever" syndrome that most mothers seem to do. We just do the best we can. I would have thrown that tupperware out too, after it sat on my countertop for a few months. I recently threw out two "contaminated peanut butter" lids and my nicely worded letter requesting a refund after last year's scare. It had been sitting on my cuttlery set for months. I should have just been more honest with myself and not even bothered to clean the lids and write the letter....lol. And to the mom who chastised you for putting your kids in the car seats with their coats on....don't mind her...she must live in the south.....

I live in NE so it is time for coats but since I have twin freshmen boys and a 7th grade boy I doubt winter coat season arrives for awhile. They are much too cool to ever admit they need a coat. I have two older daughters that dressed in jeans and sweaters when it was 90 degrees out because the school was too cold. Teens are weird. They want us to think it is us. It is them.

Yeah I live in NM and even though we are currently having "a cold spell" (it's 55 right now) none of us even owns a winter coat. But I grew up in New England so I can at least sympathize about the cold and the coats and the gloves and all that.

Oh and I don't think it is just teenagers that are impervious to cold. I think young single women are too. A couple months ago my husband and I were at an outdoor concert and since we live in the desert it gets quite cold here at night, even when it is warm in the daytime. I remember turning to him and saying I was glad I was married if just for the fact that I'm not afraid to wear a sweatshirt to a concert, lol. I saw all the single girls out there more worried about looking hot (and freezing in the process... ah the irony) than anything else.

I am totally laughing... I love it. I am originally from MN, so am well aware of winter coat day. Our oldest has been lucky enough (and us too) to never have had to have a winter coat. She's in for a rude awakening when we move to the East coast next month.

hi - i resent the southerner wouldnt understand the adjusting of the car seat straps...he, he...im just kidding. i live in N FL and yep...it was 38 this morning here so i too had to adjust the dang car seat straps. have a happy weekend. thanks for entertaining so many of us. great job! lauren

what's up with being first to post? I guess they figure it will actually get read? I live in MN and agree with the weather bit. What kind of people decided it would be fun to settle in the north? If it wasn't for family we'd be somewhere else.

I did ask my parents about the no-car seat thing once. When my oldest sister was like 1 1/2 they moved from Utah to Texas. They said they simply lined the backseat and floorboard with quilts and pillows so whenever she rolled off the seat she wouldn't get too hurt.

Yet again, great post, Dawn! I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog. I just have a couple of questions about the comments:

Okay, seriously...WHY do people care if they're first to comment? Does it go back to second grade when their life goal was to be first in line, and so the teacher had to create a class job called "line leader" to make it fair for everyone? Do people really sit at their computer trying to be first every night?

Also, why is it called "lurking" if you read a PUBLIC blog and don't comment? With the thousands of hits Dawn gets every day and only 100+ comments (ONLY 100--I'm happy to get 5 on my blog!), I guess most of her readers would be classified as lurkers.

The people who commented that fluffy jackets in car seats are a no-no are right... I'm sorry, I'm a nurse so I really can't not comment! The concern is that the straps don't fit tight against the child's body, making the straps virtually useless in a crash. Adult's seat belts aren't the same, since it is only a three-point harness. Please take this seriously. And before I get flamed, to everyone out there, I am a mother from Canada - I know what cold is, and I know how miserable it is to get them in and out of their jackets out of their seats. I hate it. But if it saves my child's life, it's worth it.

Hey! I resemble that "Southerner" comment! When it hit 60 degrees in Galveston, that was official Winter Coat Day on the beach! Seriously...I'm a "real" Northerner today--having moved to Minnesota.

What I fondly remember of getting our little ones ready was getting "shoes on." "Shoes on" means go to the bathroom, get the diaper bag, find the shoes, change the dirty diaper, wipe the messy face, put shoes on a wiggly toddler, put shoes on the baby (while toddler is removing his/her shoes...and socks), change the baby's clothing because he just urped, answer the 6-yr-old's, "where are we going again?" for the 45th time. My girlfriends used to laugh when I'd say something like, "Give me twenty minutes to get the shoes on." Well, at least they USED to say that...until they kept just one of our four kids for a weekend! And it still took them 20 minutes to get out the door!

Kudos to you, Dawn for handling your six kiddos at breakneck speed. Isn't it amazing that when we go out-of-town, etc. it takes 6-7 people to do the job we do?

Just curious Dawn, when you are leaving the house with all the kids how long does it take for you to get everyone out the door (with coats, books, shoes and misc.) and into the car? Seems like it takes me forever with just one kid and you have 6! Is there much repeating and pleading involved?

Ahhh... winter coat day. Here's where I prove that I'm not nearly the mom you are, Dawn. I live very nearby to you (literally like a couple towns over). I have a 2 and 4 year old. Today was NOT the first day we've had our winter coats on. In fact, we've had coats on and off and on and off for weeks now. It actually got a little embarrassing, as after my son goes to preschool, his bus drops him off at daycare. In the morning, it was cold. I don't tend to have time to check the forecast, so out come the winter coats. Needless to say, by the time I pick them up at daycare, no one is wearing coats because it's 55-60 out. Oh, except my kids who are BROILNG in their winter coats. *sigh*

My favorite part: my daughter insists EVERY time she gets in my car when she has any type of coat on whatsoever that she's HOT. And she wants the air conditioning on. As often as I've explained that we don't use air conditioning in the winter, she continues to loudly insist that it needs to be on. Somehow, considering she's *2*, I have a feeling that it's only going to get worse from here.

One place where I was a "smart" mom is in regards to the carseats. The carseats we have have adjustments on the side. I press a button and they get loose. Once buckled, I turn the crank and tighten the appropriate amount. I actually do this every time they get in and out of the car. It makes it so much easier to get them in and out of the car. Now if I could only do the other 9,965,964 things right!

Speaking of carseats. My son is 4 but not yet 40 pounds. Am I the only mom in the world who still has the 4 year old in a carseat vs a booster?

Oh ... and a hint for the lost mittens (at least for younger kids, older kids don't wear them anyway!). Actually, it's my mom's secret, but I stole it, and it works great.

Every time I get new mittens, I get a length of elastic or thick cord and thread it through both arms of the coat then sew (and this is about the extent of my sewing abilities, so truly anyone could do it) the gloves/mittens onto the ends of the cord/elastic. I leave a couple of inches "extra" so I can maneuver them to get on and off. I've yet to lose a mitten (knock on wood).

Good luck with getting the 12 month old to keep the mittens on. I finally had to get a coat that had "mittens" built in. Essentially, it was extra fabric that folds over the end of the sleeve. Once both are folded over, she couldn't figure out how to undo it (which caused its own issues). Maybe you can find one of those? My son did fine just with me tucking the end of the mitten into the cuff of the coat and cinching that up, but my daughter is pretty crafty.

I find your coat story funny! We are in Arizona (about an hour from Phoenix). My daughter was born in April so I hadn't even put socks on her until this month! Then surprise, surprise, the other day we needed a light jacket for a morning walk. I don't think we've had a day under 80 yet since she was born! The day we brought her home from the hospital it was in the high 60s and windy. We actually had to "borrow" a blanket from the hospital because we assumed a onsie and hat would be plenty for warmth! I guess we will return the blanket when we have the next kid! It hasn't even been cool since then. Yes, living in a warmer climate has it's advantages, but when it's 115 outside, you just have to repeat "I don't have to shovel it, I don't have to shovel it!"

Well, I missed your blog for a couple of days, so I read yesterday's entry, and I got curious at the end regarding everyone congratulating you.Then I scrolled down to Wed's entry which was titled "Guess What" and my first thought was: She's having a baby!!Turned out I was wrong, unless you consider the coming books your new babies.CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I typically wear jeans and a t-shirt in 30 degree weather, and I'm 25. :-P

I can't stand hot weather, or even warm weather, and I pretty much love it when it's under 40 outside. I get sweaty very easily. I've never been able to wear sweaters or anything, without having to take them off after about five minutes.

It's been getting into the 30s here at night, 50s during the day, and I've been running the air conditioner during the day. ;)

Ya gotta love technology and how far they've come with safety seats for kids. I remember growing up - my mom's arm was the safety device! She'd step on the brake, and immediately her right arm would shoot out to keep any kid in the front seat from going through the windshield! :-) And I LOVE that your book is going to be published by Guideposts! They do great stuff. Congrats!

Yep, we in Texas get to FLIP FLOP with the temps here, you'll never know if you'll need a coat or shorts. It's an added bonus I'm willing to live with. Could NEVER deal with REAL winter weather~!! Kate

I'm 28 now, but I remember being 14 and wearing shorts to school in the winter (Pacific NW, so about 40-50 degrees and rainy). I did wear a jacket, but I really just wasn't that cold. Maybe it's the faster metabolisms or something.

I used to live in Chicago, in high school--loved it!! But now I'm in Colorado, and there's always someone here running around in the sunny freezing winter wearing shorts. I've noticed the teens wear flip-flops all winter long too. How do they manage that with all the snow?!

We do experience "Winter Coat Day" in the South. At least the northern part of Alabama... The problem generally is that we need it looser in the morning but in the afternoon it needs to be tighter and then looser again in the evening. And I still have to take my DS3's seat out to adjust the straps. It is almost 4 and 38 pounds. I'm beginning to think that's close enough for the booster. Or actually just taking the straps out of his current seat and using the seat belt. And I can still latch the seat in...

Today was that day here but I only took DS3 out this morning to take DS6 to school so I skipped the coat for him. However DS6 was thrilled because he got to wear his yellow coat and yellow is his favorite color, almost to the point of an obsession.

I live in the Mid-West too, (right next door to Illinois actually...) anyway...my 14 yo son has the same set of clothes for summer (100 degress) and for winter (10 degrees), a black hoodie, t-shirt, jeans, some sort of floppy big skater tennis shoes and a stocking cap. DRIVES ME NUTS. I fight with him in the winter to wear a coat and fit with him in the summer to take the d*mn stocking cap off his sweating head. DUH! So, I am the embarrassed...er...proud parent of a teenage boy. Well, actually 2 teenage boys, but my oldest dresses "normal".

I know I am a day late in posting this but the comment about Christmas lights on a palm tree... Yeah it isn't the same. For 9 years I have lived on tropical islands. And I can honestly say I MISS THE SNOW!!!!Guess this is why we are leaving Guam for North Dakota....

after talking to a friend who lived in florida (i'm from Canada) i've discovered there are some benefits to living in cold winters. no giant bugs. no cockroaches, no june bugs, had some large mosquitos this spring but they were gone in 2 weeks. don't even have any rats where i live. no poisonous snakes (except in zoos maybe). no poisonous spiders either. some mice but between my cat and my dog they're kept away from my house. also, you don't really need central air here because no matter how hot it is in the day, the nights are always cool enough to sleep. oh, and virtually no humidity so you dont' sweat just to breathe either. so it's not all bad where there are cold winters!

It's interesting how many people are posting that it's so dangerous to put your child in a carseat with a large fluffy coat on. Why is it that, suddenly, some scientist or company does a test and finds out that a coat compresses in a crash and now kids can't be warm in the car anymore? Somehow, parents managed for decades doing exactly the same thing that they are supposedly unsafe doing now. Bah. I think the people in charge...somewhere...just like to make things more difficult for moms.

Thanks so much for your blogs! I read them and then I don't feel so alone in the nuthouse of motherhood!!(I have 4~7, 4, and 6 month twins)I love winter coat day, because I love the cold! We wont reach anything that resembles cold until next week when it will be a cool 58degrees! BURRRR!

I live in East Texas - pretty far south by North American standards. It was 34F one day here this week as well. My kids all 3 of them just wore a light weight jacket. (Bad mom - I know) but at the end of the day it was 65F. SO.....oh well.

As for the JrHi kids, they just don't know what to do with a jacket once they get to school. They have 8 classes - unless they are in athletics or UIL then they may have 10 classes for the day. They move every 48 minutes and a jacket is just one more thing to keep up with. The flip-flops and shorts....well that is because they are truly WEIRD! I substitute at our JrHi on a weekly basis, and those kids - BLESS their HEARTS - put their brains on hold when it isn't demanded that they use them. SO they probably just don't realize that it is even cold outside - unless someone else tell them. I LOVE that age group of kids - but they really beat to a different drum.

I don't know about the state of your older car...but don't spend too much time envying the LATCH system. Sure, it wasn't too bad when I hooked it in (though still had to kneel in the seat while reaching into the crack between the seat bottom and back.) But the real fun came in trying to UNLATCH it when it was time to turn my daughter around. Suffice it to say, it took me, my husband, my father and the Jaws of Life to unhook the damn thing!

I have been reading your blog since the beginning and this is the first time I felt compelled to comment. I literally had tears streaming down my face, laughing while I was reading about your car seat adjustments! My kids are 11 and 9, so car seats are a thing of the past for me (YAY!) but I can remember vividly the hell that those things are. You make me laugh like a crazy lady! Thanks!

Never read your blog before today, but it sounds like we have similar adventures. I HATE the adjusting of carseats to accommodate clothing. Especially here in Michigan where it can be 70 degrees one day, 30 degrees the next, and 66 the day after that. Grrr.

I just have to comment about Winter Coat Day in the south. Yes, we have Winter Coat Day, where you have to adjust the straps on the car seat. In fact, we have Winter Coat Day one day, then un-Winter Coat Day the next day (because it was 34 yesterday but it is 65 today). And then Winter Coat Day could come again in the next day or the next week. I was so glad when my child graduated to a booster seat! (Which she rode in until she was 8 years old.)

I didn't have time to read all the posts, but just wanted to mention what we do to solve the puffy coat dillema at our house. I buckle in my toddler without the coat and let her use her coat as a blanket. It works great. The car heats up fast anyway, and then she can throw it on the floor when she gets too warm.

Not all of us Southerners have it that easy...in central Texas it is not only 20 degrees different from day to day in the winter, but from HOUR TO HOUR. We often literally leave the house in winter coats and hats, only to be wearing a T-shirt in the afternoon. So those carseat straps are getting a constant workout!